Restrictions on the kinds of equipment hunters are allowed to use in national wildlife refuges have just been issued by the Biden administration. This action has caused controversy because numerous sportsmen groups across the nation have been voicing their opposition for the past few weeks.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) will prohibit lead ammunition and fishing tackle in eight US wildlife refuges by the year 2026 as part of its fishing and hunting regulations for the years 2023–2024. While many environmental organizations have backed this initiative, sportsmen in the nation have contended that it may eventually turn into a generalized attack on hunting.
The FWS is punishing American hunters in this case, according to a statement from senior vice president of the US Shooting Sports Foundation Lawrence Keane. Additionally, he asserted that the Biden administration “is ignoring” its prior pledge to “follow science.” To further advance its “anti-hunting and anti-gun agenda,” the White House, according to Keane, has ignored all scientific findings.
The FWS stated in its introduction of the new regulation that it was developed using the best “available science.” According to the FDA, this demonstrated that lead equipment had detrimental effects on both human and wildlife health. The FWS also noted that this rule is a step forward over the most recent hunting and fishing rule, which had simply expanded the restriction to include the whole Patoka National Wildlife Refuge.
Benjamin Cassidy, senior vice president for public affairs of Safari Club International, voiced his opinion during a Fox News interview. He claimed that the introduction of this new regulation demonstrates President Joe Biden’s desire to simply claim credit for “expanding” the availability of public lands for hunting and fishing. Cassidy continued by saying that these moves will unavoidably result in “substantial” financial obstacles for American sportsmen. Additionally, he told Fox News that no American would be able to go hunting or fishing on public areas in the nation.
